Balkan asylum seekers come under suspicion

In this Oct. 22, 2012 photo a man selling turkeys on the green market in the town of Bujanovac, 340 kms south of Belgrade, Serbia. While about 99 percent of the asylum requests coming from the citizens of the Balkan nations have been rejected as unfounded, the influx has burdened the system of some EU nations, where the numbers of asylum seekers have increased ten-fold since the travel visas were abolished for much of the region in 2009. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
— AP

In this Oct. 22, 2012 photo a man selling turkeys on the green market in the town of Bujanovac, 340 kms south of Belgrade, Serbia. While about 99 percent of the asylum requests coming from the citizens of the Balkan nations have been rejected as unfounded, the influx has burdened the system of some EU nations, where the numbers of asylum seekers have increased ten-fold since the travel visas were abolished for much of the region in 2009. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic)
/ AP

"If they want to belong to Europe, they must ultimately take care of these people," German Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said after the meeting. "They have to do things so that these people don't feel discriminated against."

Serbian authorities say there is little they can do to stop people from traveling abroad without violating their basic human rights.

"If we were to start pulling Roma passengers out of buses on the border, we would be crucified," Serbian Prime Minister Ivica Dacic said recently.

There have been several arrests of alleged organizers of EU-bound trips, tougher border controls and a public campaign advising people their trip would be in vain. But this has little effect in Bujanovac or other poor regions in the Balkans. Busloads of people still leave regularly, with people hoping to reach the EU.

Balkan minority groups, such as Roma and ethnic Albanians, are among the worst hit by the economic crisis that has gripped the region impoverished by wars and international isolation. Rights groups also say Roma are treated as second-class citizens in most of the Balkans, with little hope of finding regular jobs.

"Roma experience persistent discrimination across the region," Human Rights Watch said in a recent report.

Kenan Rasitovic, a member of the local Gypsy council in Bujanovac, said simple poverty should qualify them for asylum.

"Those people are just looking for ways to survive harsh living conditions and widespread poverty," said Rasitovic. "Regular income is practically nonexistent here."